This invention relates to locking seals for securing two apertured members to each other such as overlying lids on tote bins and the like.
Tote bin lid seals are in wide use as are other similar seals. Such seals have a head at one end of a shank and a locking member at the other end of the shank. The seal shank is inserted through aligned apertures in two overlying lids of the bin until the resilient locking member, radially compressed when inserted in the apertures, expands to its natural position and lock the shank to the lids securing the closed lids. Only one side of the lids are accessible for inserting the seals. The problem with these seals is that the apertures on the bin lids tend to vary in dimensions and shape so that a seal of one set of dimensions may not lock to lids having different apertures. For example, the apertures may be a circle in some bins and oval in others. This requires keeping an inventory of different seals for the different size apertures. Such an inventory is costly and cumbersome to maintain. In addition, seals of incorrect dimensions may be used affecting the integrity of the seal.
Such seals may also employ flags, i.e., flanges attached to the seals, for receiving an imprinted identification code, ID, for that seal such as a bar code or serial number. Another problem is that the when the tote bins are stacked one over the other, the flags which normally are flat and extend over the lids, are located beneath the overlying bins of the stack and thus are not readily accessible or readable.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,159,363 discloses a snap fastener having a base formed of rectangular arms. Legs extend from the arms and form a nose. The legs outside edges form a pear shape. A socket portion extends from each leg out of the plane of the leg and are arranged to yield. The legs and socket portions move toward each other when inserted into an opening. After the socket portions pass through the opening, shoulders on the socket portions expand lock the fastener to strips having aligned holes through which the fastener was passed. The fastener is useful with different aperture sizes and different material thicknesses.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,799 discloses a fastener comprising a body having a head and a shank extending from the head, each having a bore therethrough. The shank is formed with a plurality of fingers with a groove on its outer side to form wings adapted to be spread apart against a surface surrounding an aperture upon application of a force on the inside of the finger. The fastener allows for different size apertures and does not rotate in the aperture. It also allows for connecting metal to glass and isolates the metal from glass. However, this fastener employs an internal screw for securing the members and is not a locking seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,134 discloses fastening means for securing automotive trim to a body. A retainer is attached to the trim and passes through an aperture in the automotive body sheet metal. A nose portion has expansible cam shaped parts. The parts have flexible connections to a head. Serrations in the parts mate with other serrations on the under side of the head to lock the parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,438 discloses a polymeric fastening device with a loop like body, a drive pin initially integral with the body to be sheared from the body, and moved into the body and a pair of spaced opposite cam elements engaging the drive pin to spread deformation of the body upon pressure being applied to the drive pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,162 discloses a non-releasable connecting device including first and second elements each of which have an elongated shaft and generally flat circular head portions. The shafts cooperate in sliding engagement. The first element shaft is inserted into the second element shaft, the second element having a split shaft. A locking member of the first element passes through a slot in the head of the second element followed by rotation of the first element and subsequent retraction to cause the locking member to engage internal recesses in the second element and permanently lock the elements together.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,295 discloses tamperproof shackle seals including a plug portion for cooperation with a mating portion of a socket mouth to prevent effective insertion of a blade. A stop is formed on a strap near the plug to limit effective length of the strap. Resilient fingers are in the socket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,742 discloses a rod shaped locking member and a casing having a cavity for receiving the locking member. A tapered section of the locking member is inserted into a slit sleeve fixed in the casing. A shoulder abuts the sleeve to prevent axial retraction of the locking member. The locking member is axially advanced into the casing to reach a second stage. The rod shaped member is concealed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,650 discloses a one piece plastic rivet having an open frame body laterally expandable and a cylindrical appendix within the body formed with a pull shank for producing the expansion. The appendix has projection means which cooperate with a stepped aperture in the head of the plug rivet for maintaining the body expanded.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,860 discloses a plastic rivet and integral drive pin having a head and shank. Resilient legs are attached to the shank which has a transverse hole forming deflectable walls. Protrusions project from the legs and walls. A shank drive pin is driven into the body.
Still other arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pats. Nos. 5,509,182, 5,568,675 and 5,846,039. In addition, numerous other locking seals, fastening and locking devices are known.
The ""162 patent requires access to both sides of a structure being fastened preventing use with tote bin lids. This is also true of devices disclosed also in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,318,650, 4,920,618, and others. Others of the patents are useable primarily with holes of fixed dimensions or do not serve as appropriate locking seals for tote bins.
A seal for securing overlying apertured first and second members according to the present invention comprises a hollow body extending in an axial direction along an axis and having opposing first and second ends, the body having a transversely compressible distortable annular wall extending about the axis for passing through and in engagement with a plurality of different transversely dimensioned apertures. A locking flange is secured to the body at the first end and at least one radially resilient tang is at the second end for axially locking the body to the members in cooperation with the flange. As a result, the compressible body is able to accommodate and fit with tote bins having lids to be secured with different diameter apertures to which the seal is to be attached.
In one aspect, the body is non-circular, for example, oval, in transverse section.
In a further aspect, the at least one tang includes an elongated stem that extends axially from the body and a hook that extends radially outwardly and in a reverse axial direction from the stem at a stem end distal the body.
Preferably, an axially extending stiffening rib is secured to the stem and wall. This insures that the tangs are not too flexible and thus easily released by tampering.
In a further aspect, the rib is triangular in transverse shape.
In a further aspect, the body may be hollow. In a still further aspect, the annular wall defines an axially extending central hollow core, the seal further including a web secured to one side of the wall in the core at the first end and extending transversely across the core to an opposing side of the wall. Preferably the web is secured to and one piece with the opposing side wall.
In a further aspect, an annular array of a plurality of the tangs is included, the body defining a hollow central core that is elongated in a first transverse direction relative to the axis, the core having opposing ends in the first direction, a first plurality of the tangs being at one end of the core and a second plurality of tangs at the other opposite end of the core in the first direction.
In a further aspect, the first and second plurality of tangs are in like mirror image arrays and spaced from each other in the first direction. In this way, the tangs are at opposite ends of an oval body and enhance the locking action of the tangs.
In a further aspect, the flange is sheet material and extends from the body normal to the axis, further including a transverse hinge for permitting the flange to be selectively folded parallel to the axis. This permits indicia on the flange to be read when the seal is on each of a stack of tote bins. In addition, the flange includes projections for releasably securing the folded flange in the folded state.
Preferably in a further aspect, a locking insert is included for insertion into the core, the insert including a bifurcated shank defining a pair of legs for receiving the web therebetween. The web may then be secured to the legs by projections on the legs further precluding removal of the insert from the body.
For example, at least one of the legs may have a locking tab cooperating with the other leg for forming a locking opening medially the length of the legs, the locking opening for receiving the web and for cooperatively axially locking the insert to the web in the core to preclude the at least one tang from radially inwardly resiliently displacement.
Preferably the flange includes weakening means at the junction of the flange to the body to permit the flange to be removed from the body to unlock the members.
Preferably the body is elongated in a first direction transverse the axis and foreshortened in a second transverse direction normal to the first direction.